Washed ashore
There is just something about wandering around on a beach that people seem to like, including me. I think we all have some distant hope that we will discover something valuable, or amazing, or historical, or at least interesting. (Spanish Galleons would be cool! Plus I could sell them to a museum and buy a lot of new camera gear!! Ok, back to reality.)
Sadly, in most cases I think we just find junk. In this case, I was wandering at China Cove in Point Lobos State Reserve (just outside of Carmel, CA) and didn't have to look very hard to find this large clump of kelp. I am not sure how things this large get dislodged from their grove out at sea, but sure enough there it was, waiting to be photographed.